And the like



1,625,157 Apr]! 1927' H. ROBERTS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TAG STRINGT ING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 50, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19-, 1927.

H. L. ROBERTS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TAG STRINGING MACHINES AND THE LIKE ssheets-sheetz Fild Jan. 30. 1924 INVENTOR fldF/QC'E Z. fi s/77s ATTORNEY 4 k a h wbuow l iwm-mh l iwl r ml nv x lfl iflfl fil u E q k v w-v\ M N k E "X ril 19, 1927.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TAG STRINGING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 30. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M m numm 7 f/mj H. L. ROBERTS ,157

shown in my Patented Apr.

iiiiir HORACE L. RGBERTS,

FEEDING MECHANLSM This invention OF MOUNT VERNON, HEX/V YORK.

FOE TAG-$TEINGING- MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed January 30, 1924. Serial No. 689,411.

relates to improvements in feeding mechanism for tag stringing machines and the like, and is particularly an improvement upon the feeding mechanism former Letters Patent No.

1,365,853, dated January 18th, 1921.

in machines such as iag-stringing ma cliines it is desirable that stacked tags may be fed one at a time without duplication and in proper relationship to stringing ap paratus or like devices,

movement of one mechanism, a second tag was moved with the sa were not positioned by alignment for ti and heretofore in the of the tags by the feeding sometimes and at times the tags the feeder in proper 1e stringing apparatus or other device for the next operation.

One of the ob ects of this invention is to obviate this imp tags and cause the same to tively one at a 11 thereof.

Another object duce a. feeding m machines and the like, the stacked tags may ositive movement of such be moved posi' iiiie from beneath a stack of this. invention is to pro echanisni for tag stringing by the use of which be successively and positively carried one at a time and without duplication to the stringing means or other operating device.

Still another object is {material preferably on to provide means or the carrier which will produce a. frictional grip on the tag which is being in the frictional grip between faces of two cards,

greater force than the abutting surand in the preferred oved of embodiment I provide an elastic material such as rubber strips so as sirable movement of carrying of the same to prevent undethe card during the from stacked to stringing position or the like.

Still another object of in combination with a frictional to provide,

his invention is gripping member above specified, a singling element adapted to permit the passage of the lowermost tag or card only,

and in the preferred embodiment of my invention 1 utilize for this purp surface'or surfa the periphery or rollers mounted ose a curved or arcuate ces preferably comprising peripheries of a roller or above the carrier in the path of the tags moved thereby and arranged to roll, sw

ing or yield with the movement of a carriage a slight distanceto permit the single frictionally gri slide beneath the locked or jamme pped tag to same and then to become d against further rotation to prevent the slidin posed tags.

by of other superim-v With these and other objects in view, the

invention comprises the combination of inembei's and arrangement of parts so cornbined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and

comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accomp anyiiig drawings,

in which I VFig. l is a plan view of a feeding device embodying my invention having the parts in starting position; Fig. 2 is a similar view in plan of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the movable carrier in m tion; Fig. 3 is ovenient finishing posia section on the line 3 of Fig.

having the gripper plate therefor remov Fig. 6 is a bottom plate for the gripper 7 gripper Fig. 1 looking in looliing in is a perspective view fingers employed by me;

8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig.

the direction of the arrow; is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig.

the direction of the arrow;

fingers and mounting ed;

view of the mounting fingers;

of one of the Fig. 10 is a sect-ion on the line l0l0 of 1 looking in the Fig. 11 is a fra of a gripper direction of the arrow;

gmentary enlarged section linger in the act of engaging the lowermost tag in the stack; and

Fig. cal section of the sin employed by me.

Referring now to ustrate a preferred ntion, 1 indicates 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertigling element or roller these drawings, which embodimentof my 111- the bed of a machine which may be tag-stringing or similar device for operating on ed on the bed of the with the card-stringi carrier 2 which,

ciprocat-e in ways 9 reciprocatcd by means of an shaft 5 oscillated from any vertical source of power not as illustrated, provid tags or cards. Mountinachine in registration ng or other device is a as shown, is mounted to re and, as illustrated, is arm 4; from a suitable shown. The arm 4 is, ed with a slot 4* which tits over a stud 6 pivotally mounted on the carrier so that when the arm l swung hack and forth the 'rarrier 2 will he reeiprocated within the ways 3. The *arrier 53, as illustrated. is oblong in conlmmation. heing elongated from its connection with the arm 4; to extend within a stacking ho); lu reinalt' r dearrihed and heneat'h a stack ot' tags .wtilt'l-(Qtl within said hon and said carrier is provided with a hed portion T. on which the stacked tags art adapted to he superimposed. 'lhis hed portion 7 of the slide is preterahly provided with a material, and n'e'leraht an elastic material, which will have the property of n'1ai11tainino; a "frictional grip on or contact with the paper tags 01 greater degree than the :t'rietional contact of tags with *ach other and in the preferred form I utilize a series: of tour strips T of ruhher spaced from each other to provide longitudinal gnroores S-S-9 respectively. The e ruhher strips are relatively thin and snitahly positioned in the spaces hetween the rnhher strips and extending lon gitiuliually thereot are a pair ot gripper lingers in which preterahly are ot the construction more pa ticularly shown in Figs. 7 and 1t, and comprise a hase ineu'ili er it) hating a screw tastenins apmtiure it) h meats o'l whirh the same are mounted on the slide. and a resilient or sprint member 10 connected at one end to the hase niomher and having a rieldingrly- 'aised tag engaging head it) rounded or tapered toward the aid thereot and provided with a shallow notch 10, the result heingr that the gripper finger is yielding l pressed against the lowe most tag in the stack and the yielding upward pressure at the spring raised head will compensate tor any uneven ness in. the surl aee ot the lowermost tap; and will positively engage the same. llwo inde- 70l1(l(]1tl)-t)]7tifil7l{ grippers are eiiniilo rezl so as more su ely to engage the edge at the a and more the same uniiorml shown. these stripper fingers are ai'ljustahly mounted on the carrier h fixedly fastening; the same to an adju ting plate ll whirl] is prorided with adjusting slots 1;] adapter to he adjustahly fastened to the carrier h e screws 13.

illustrated the said plate 11 is provided at its forward end with notrhes 11 3 with which the ,a'ripper tine-ere 1t) register and the rounded engaging head 10 ot the ,ejrip per linger ntends beneath an undercut or hollowed out portion 13, which registers with the said notrhes l3 and to 11] a seat, for the rounded head 10 oi the gripping ting-er and limits the upward motion thereot'. so that a portion oi the tag engaging; head projects a proper distance ahore the same for the purpose of gripping a eard or ta when superimposed upon the hed portion of the slide on which the cards or tags are superimposed.

mac w? In the preferred form of feeder illustrated, the h d i" is walled or honed in. At the rear end the wall of the stacking hox com prises a guide wall lxl; adjustal'ile with relation to the other walls as herehtalter specitied and having notches lat" through which the spring-raised tine-era extend to registe will and engage the edge ot a stat-lord tag. The t'ront or t'orward end and one side ot said hed are walled in In walls and it) l'ormed integrally in an angle, piece 15* which is adjustahly mounted on the bed at? the maehine in means ol a slot and pin connection 'nnprising a slot; if which is engaged hr a screw .15 to enable adjustment of this angle piece in relation to the bed of the machine, and the guide wall 14; is adjustable relatively to the wall 15 hy means of :1 str; p 14% and set; screw ll, the strap ll heine' adapted to tit over the eonneeting wall 15 and the set screw it being adapted to that en the two walls t gether. The wall portion it) ot the angle piece lt'i is provided with an opening or passage-way 15 at its hottom portion, through which passageway a plul't lit o't super jiosed tags will. usually he mored or carried by the feeding movement oil the carrier and the t'rictional engagement; hetween the abutting surfaces oi the tags.

li hile the elastie hed T n'orides a positive grip to retain the lowermost; tag with which it contacts in immovable position on the carrier during: the feeding movement thereot, the grippers retain alignment and also insnre movement o'l said lowermost tag with the arrier. .lt desirable to provide means tor separating the lowermost tap;

train the tans superinunmed thereon in order to enahle a single tap; to he carried by the :arrien and for this purpose I have. mounted above the carrier in the passagewa through which sueh tags must pass what 1 shall term a sing-ling element or elements harii'ip an arenate surface adapted to contact with the edges oil the tags in their movement tin-(nigh the passageway, and the arenete surface o' this element normally extends toward the carrier to a plane eloselr adjacent to the -'uritace thereof so asto snilistantially ohst'ruet and close the (le-lirery passageway hetween it; and the :arrien hut upon movement o-t tl e earrier and card said tingling eleinei'it is adapted to swing or roll a short distance to open up the passageway a sutl'icieut li.-'-:tanee to allow one card to more therethrougrh and then to loelc or join so as to prevent the passage of ad d t ional cards.

its ilhr trated (see Figs. 3.

9 and 153i the-e rollers l? are provided with enlarged hares i mounted in on axles or shafts 155 of smaller diameter and these rollers are, when the carrier is in its starting; position yiehling -ly pressed dowl'lwardlr against the tags h a spring pressed pin inserted in the ill) vertical bore 19 in a bracket block 20 adjustably mounted on the forward wall of the stacking box. Vi 'hen the carrier starts moving the friction between tie lowermost tag and the card superimposed thereon will cause the same to he carried with said lowermost into contact with the arcuate periphery of said rollers. llhese rollers will then roll outwardly a suilicient distance to open up the passageway between the same and the bed of the carrier to afford an opening sufficient for the lowcri'nost tag to pass therethrough and will become wedged or locked and be held against rotation so as to prevent the passage of additional tags throu 'h said passageway. it will be seen, therefore, that the arcuate surface of the roll r is utilized for the purpose of singling out the lowermost tags and holding back the tags superimposed thereon and these arcuate surfaces of the roller completely close and obstruct the passageway above the carrier but rolls or swings so as to yield suliiciently to allow the lowermost single tag to pass through the passageway and thereupon jams or locks and presses against the top of said tag andco pletely blocks the passageway to prev the passage of the superimposed tags. its illustrated, the angle piece 15 provided with a dove-tailed groove 15 and the bracket block is provided with a dovetailed portion 20 sliding vertically in the groove. The bracket block 2 is preferably provided at its lower end with a groove 20 registering with the passageway oi the front wall of the stacking box and the outer end is preferably provided with toe which, when the bracket is adjusted vertically, will provide a final delivery aperture of proper width to allow the passage through it of the lowermost tag singled out as aforesaid by the singling rollers. '7 lhe tags are delivered within the walls of the stacking box and onto the bed? of the carrier 2 by any suitable mechanism not shown, and, as illustrated, the. tags are guided inlo the stackim Jot; by :2, guide 16 which, as illustrated, is adjustable toward the carrying plate by means of a longitudinal slot 16 and screw 16", while it leadjusted longitudinally of the carrier by means of a slot 16 and screw 16.

The fastening of the block 20 in vertical. adjustment is preferably accomplished by providing on the wall of the angle piece 15 a bracket bolt or plug le in which is mounted a set screw 15 which engages the sliding block 20 and enables vertical adjustnientthereof to increase or diminish the space between the too 20 and the carrier or slide 2. I

In the preferred form of my invention illustrated, the rubber strips are, as aforesaid, positioned to leave spaces between the same and he rollers 17 in the bracket 20 register with the spaces between the rubber strips so that upon movement outwardly the rollers press the tags oownwardly and re-. siliently against the gripper strips, so as to firmly retain the same in contact therewith. The bracket is also preferably provided with adjustable stopping toe 21 which, as aforesaid, is slidably mounted on a lever 22 which is pivotally mounted on a lug 23. This toe 21 is also preferably mounted so as to register, when the carrier is moved forwardly with the central space 9 between the rubber strip and is provided, as illustrated, with an inclined face 21, with which the edge of the carrier engages on its outward movenent so as to lift the same. When the carrier has made its forward movement the point 21 of the toe piece 21 will engage behind trie tag or and will retain the card or tag in stationary position during rearward movement of the carrier.

The edge 90 of the delivery slot may be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of a single ard so as to closely abut the rubber strips which will contact with the under side of the card and produce a frictional grip on the same of greater force than the frictional grip between the upper surface of the card and the under surface of the seoond card.

The operation of the feeding mechanism herein-above described is as follows A, stack of tags T is disposed within the stacking compartment and may be automatically moved into the same by any suitable mechanism not shown. As the bed 7 of the carrier 2 extends beneath this compartment the tags are supported upon the said bed and contact with the elastic strips. In order to feed a tag to stringing mechanism or other devices arranged adjacent to the stackingcompartment the carrier 2 is by the arm l moved laterally. In this movement the gripping heads 10 of the gripper fingers 1O engage the edge of the card, the bottom surface of which is frictionally engaged by the rubber strips and said movement of the slide in combination with the singling out or separating of the bottom tag from the superposed tags by the singling rollers 17 will cause the boitom tag T to be moved througl'i the delivery passageway 15 into position for the operation of the stringing device or other mechanism, said tag T being held in this position by the toe 21 during the reversemovement of the carrier into starting position, whereupon it will engage successive cards and the operation is re' peated.

' flaving described my invention, I claim 2- 1. In a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartn'ient, a carrier having a tag-receiving 110d extending beneath the stacking co111- partmcnt and reciprocablc through the stacking co111parti11ont, a rubber 11011 on the carrier 'i'or increasing the tirictional contact 1101\11 1111 the carrier and the bottom surface oi. the tagn 1111 111115 for engaging the edge 01 the 12 3; and means {or overcoming the frictional contact 111113110011 the low01'111ost tag and the tags $-'1111)911HIPOEIGL1 thereon.

2. 111 a 'lcod'ig device tor tag-stringing and like inachiiies having ata stacking (1)11111111'11116111} a carrier lowing a tag-recciw 111g 11011 extending beneath the stacking co1n- 11111111101111 and rcciprocahle thcrethrough, yieldahlo grippin p lingers on said carrier adapted to yioldahly press an inst and engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause said tag to he carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position For the 110. 11 (1111 121111111. 1111111159 lor rctaining the 215. in such operative position during the return 11101 01110111; oi the carrier and means for overcoming the i'rictional contact between the lowermost tag and the tags snp0ri11111osed thereon.

21. 1'11 :1 {ceding device for tag-stringing and like 111111111111 9: hav n a tag-stacking ron1pa1'tn1c11t, a reciprocating carrier having :1 1'11 t rccciving bed exteinling beneath the stacking cm'npa1t111e11t and rcciproeable 11101-0111rough spring-raised gripping fingers on said carrier adapted to engage one edge 01 the lowermost tag, a passageway in the wall at the stacking 0o111part1n0nt above said carrie a singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yicldablc to permit only the lowermost tap; to pass, and 11101111s 't'or retaining the tag in. such operative position during the return movement 01 the carrier.

1. In a iliceding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartancnt; a reciprocating carrier having a tag-receiving hed extentling beneath the stacking compartment and reciprocable through said con1p11r11nc111, spring raised gripping fingers on said carrier adapted to enga 1 e of the lowermost tag a passageway in the wall 01. the stackii'ig con1- partniont above said carrier. a singling element having an arcuate soriace obstructing said passageway and yieldable to permit only the lowermost to pass means for retaining the tag in such operative position (hiring the return movement oi. the carrier. and a material on said taga'iziceiving hed having the property o1 01 101 111119; on the lower surface ot the card a il rictional r1111- tact of greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surfaces of two tags.

In a feeding device for ta stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartment, a reciprocating carrier having a tag-receiving bed extending beneath the stacking compartment and reoiprocable through said compartment, spring-raised gri1'1ping lingers on said carrier adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the sine-Icing COIIIPELIUHGHt and into position for the next operation, means for retaining the tag in such operative position during the return movement of the *arrier, a passageway in the all oi the stacking compartment above the carrier, :1 singling element having an arcnate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldahle to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, and means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position 015 said singling element.

15. In a feeding device for tagstringing and lilre machines having a tag-stacking compartnienh a carrier having a tag1'cceiving hed extending beneath the stacking co1n- 11111111101111 and reciprocable through said 0on1partnient, synringaraised gripping lingers on said carrier adapted to engage one edge of the 1o11'0r111ost tag and to cause the same to he carried through the stacking co1npartniont and into position for the next operation, means for retaining the tag in such operative position during the return movement 01 the carrier, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compartment above the carrier, 11 singling element having an arcuate suritaco obstructing said passageway and yieldahle to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, and a rubber strip on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the card a frictional contact of greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surfaces of two tags.

'1". In a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking (20.11111211111'161113, a carrier ha ing a tag-receivi 11;; bed extending beneath the stacking (70111 partment and rooiprocab' lo through said compartment, spring-raised gripping fingers on said carrier adapted to engage one edge ot' the lowermost tag and to cause the same to he carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation, means for retaining the tag in such operative position during the return 11101 01110111; of the carrier, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compartment above the carrier, 11 singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldahle to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, rubber strips on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the card a frictional contact of greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted betweenthe abutting surfaces of two tags.

8. In a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartment, a carrier having a tag-receiving bed extending beneath the stacking compartment and jreciprocable through said compartment, spring-raised gripping lingers on said carrier adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compartment above the carrier, a singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldable to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, a retaining toe pivoted on the wall of the stacking box for retaining the tag in such operative position during the return movement of the rarrier, a rubber strip on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the tag a frictional contact of greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surfaces of two tags.

9, in a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartment, means for adjusting the area of the stackingbox, a carrier having a tagreceiving bed extending beneath the stacking compartment and reciprocable through said con'ipartment, gripping lingers adjust ably mounted on said carrier adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation 10. In a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartment, means for adjusting the area of the stacking box, a carrier having a tag receiving bed extending beneath the stacking compartment and reciprocable through said compartment, gripping lingers adjustably mounted on said carrier adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compartment above the carrier, a singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldable to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, a toe pivoted on the wall of the stacking box for retaining the tag in such position during the return movementof the carrier, a rubber strip on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the tag a frictional contact of greater re sistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surfaces'of two-tags, and hold-downrollers arranged adjacent to said delivery slot. Y V

11; in a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag Sta cking compartment, means for adjusting the area of the stacking box, a carrier having a tagreceiving bed extending beneath the stacking compartment and reciprocable beneath said compartment, an adjusting plate adjustably mounted on the carrier, gripping fingers mounted on said adjusting plate and adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation.

152. in a feeding device for tag-stringing machines having a tag-stacking compartmeans for adjusting the area of the box, a carrier having a tag-receiving bed exte ding beneath the stacking compartment and reciprocable beneath said compar "1811i, an ad usting plate adjustably mounted on the carrier, gripping lingers mounted on said adjusting plate and adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking com eartn'ient and into operative position for the next operation, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compartment aoove the cal ier, a singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldable to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, a toe pivoted on the wall of the stacking box for retaining the tag in such operative position during the return movement of the carrier, and spaced rubber strips on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the tag a frictional contact of greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surof two tags.

13. In a feeding device for tag-stringing and like machines having a tag-stacking compartment, means for adjusting the area of the stacking box, a carrier having a tagreceiving bed extending beneath the stack ing compartment and reciprocable beneath said compartment, an adjusting Jlate adjustably mounted on the carrier, gripping lingers mounted on said adjusting plate and adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost tag and to cause the same to be carried through the stacking compartment and into operative position for the next operation, a passageway in the wall of the stacking compart-merit above the carrier, a singling element having an arcuate surface obstructing said passageway and yieldable to permit only the lowermost tag to pass, means for adjusting the size of said passageway and the position of said singling element, a toe pivoted 011 the wall of the stacking box for retaining the tag in such operative position duringthe return movement of the carrier, spaced rubber strips on said bed for exerting on the lower surface of the tag a frictional contact oi greater resistance to sliding movement than is exerted between the abutting surfaces of two tags, and ho1d-down rollers arranged adjacent to said delivery slot and positioned to engage the surface of the tag 10 above the spaces between said rubber strips (hiring the movement of said tag by the carrler.

In witness whereof, I. have signed my name to the foregoing specification.

HORACE L. ROBERTS. 

